i took a few bad falls on a HS BS 360 last summer, and ever since then i can't even build up my courage to do wake to wake jumps anymore. i feel like i've lost every bit of my skill. every time i try to W2W i just let go of the rope and fall. i switched this season to a 2008 watson from my 2007 PS3. should i go back to the PS3?

shorten the rope, do it, and don't concentrate/worry so much about landing. Check your positioning going into the wake, keep that handle down and slightly out, shoulders strong and in a seated position. Stand up at the wake and don't look down

its all in your head just take that out of the equation. i blew my acl on a back 3 and when i was ready to ride again the first thing i did was a back 3 to get over the fear. if you feel comfortable with the watson stay with it if you still have the ps3 take a set with it and see if it changes. and just hang on to the handle

you can also try to go back to the basics and build yourself up with 1 wake jumps etc till you feel comfortable again. maybe shorten the rope take some weight out and slow the speed down

i went out a few days ago and rode with no weight, at about 60' and 20 MPH. i was still having a hard time, im going to try my PS3 again. thanks for the advice. i usually ride with some weight at about 70' at 22 or 23 MPH. the boat is a 1998 MC 205.

I went through the same thing after I broke my ankle 3 summers ago. I finally came to the realization that things go wrong sometimes and I had two choices; 1 Hang up the board for good or 2 get over it and get back to having fun. You can't have fun when you are riding with negative thoughts in your head. After a few successful W2W I feel that I was close to where I was before I got hurt, that is confidence-wise.

We all take nasty spills, it's just part of the sport.

Keep the shorter rope, but keep the boat closer to 22. Try cutting out about 10 feet and then charge the wake hard, you won't carry much speed, but if your technique is right you should come close to clearing the other side. Gradually increase your distance from the wake. A few good landings should help with the confidence.

Try skating and get some board balance back and more importantly some confidence behind a boat. When you get tired of skating you know you will be ready to charge a wake. If you were trying BS3s your body knows how to jump a wake. Might also want to mix up the crew. People usually ride differently with a different crowd. Good luck and hope you find your wake mojo soon.

just pull the string out throw away the binkie , strap up and go! lol shorter rope sounds good and 20 mph. you can do it!

HAHAHAHAHAH

Its just water, I hate to sound like an a-hole but I am about to. If you cant take the crashes wakeboarding is not you. Its part of the game, actually its one of the parts that makes it so rewarding taking slam after slam and eventually you ride away! With pure success!

When you get back on the horse so to speak, take the fins off and start with many many surface 360s. They'll help your handle control big time.

You can even practice a bunch of inside out (jumping the white wash at 15 mph from inside the wake going outside) 360s. If you keep your body position correct (always leaning away from the boat) you can even land at 270 degrees rotation and not
have a big wreck.

7 steps I wrote down from Shaun Murray's Detention 2012:

1. let your arms drift away from your body
2. squat down as you come into the wake
3. pull the handle with BOTH HANDS! as you feel the TAIL leave the water.
4. look towards the lead shoulder of the spin. keep your head level.
5. get the handle quick!
6. keep the handle close
7. SOFT KNEES!

the crash was pretty bad, few broken ribs. i recovered in time for my snow season to start. hahaha Robert...nice. i just wanted to see if anyone had some good "get back on your feet" advice. thanks for the advice.

Jack the reason you get pulled over and go off axis is probably from trying to spin too early. If you practice the surface backside 360s it will help get the feel for it dialed. You can do it man! I remember crashing on so many attempts and landing the first one is totally worth it.

thanks for all the advice on the 3's. but as of now i think ill work on getting my pop back. i didn't think i'd lose it over the winter, but i couldn't even land a wake jump and until i have that back i won't be trying any 3's.